Across the Universe
by jamesputters
Summary: This is the story of brave, young hearts. And this is how it ends.


**Prologue.**

It was a windy, cold dawn. The sky was coloured like velvet blue as the stars began to fade.

The damp streets were silent, lit by the early moonlight and the yellow glow of a few lamps; the trees were still and the wind blew quietly. Some houses in the distance had a light on already; some others were completely quiet. Its inhabitants had turned in long ago, sleeping soundly on their beds, sheltered by their cushions and their doors, ready to wake up in a few hours. It was calm, a tranquil view, but also sinister. Something had happened, something that only a few had heard of.

The calm was broken by the roar of an engine and a bright light shining upon the pavement roads. A crash followed suit, and then the sound of hesitant, anxious steps echoed in the distance.

A shadow obscured the glow of the lamps; it belonged to a gentleman dressed in black, his grey orbs flickering like headlights in the dark. He took a turn at the end of the street, walking into an alley full of garbage cans and posters with strangely seeming folk and a price below their heads. The man stopped abruptly as he felt the hair on his neck standing on end, his skin tickling.

Out of force of habit, a hand curled tightly around a wooden wand, his lips formed a thin line as he took a deep breath and continued walking on. He was greeted by a terrible sight.

A house sat at the end of the alley; a house that once had stood strong but now found itself in pieces. One of the rooms on the second story had the roof blasted in, and the young man felt his heart sinking, his legs giving in, body trembling violently. He didn't think twice and, with all the strength he could gather, he broke into a sprint toward the house, heart pounding in his ears.

Later on, many years from then, he would regret walking into the living room, and the clear image he had seen then would haunt him for years. Another young man, this one with square glasses and ruffled black hair, was lying motionless on the floor, hazel eyes staring at the ceiling, unfocused.

Had the world suddenly stopped spinning? Had his heart stopped pumping blood to his veins? Had he stopped _breathing_?

Without noticing he found himself pressed against a wall, hand clutching his chest, wand forgotten on the floor beside him. And he felt weak.

Violent tears formed in his eyes and, for the first time ever, Sirius Black began to _cry_.

It was a disturbing, heart-breaking moaning, like that of a wounded dog. His head hit the wall over and over again.

_"__Please make it a lie…please make it be a lie…let it not be true…." _

He cried helplessly, banging his head, his fists, slamming his body against the wall then falling to the floor. He didn't need to guess what was awaiting upstairs; a similar sight, one that would break him more. A woman and a child, both dead like the man. Like James.

He felt a boiling rage rise within him, mixing with his agony and grief.

His thoughts were clouded with a thirst of revenge, eyes turning into slits. He stood with sheer determination, heaving like a wild animal when slow footsteps drew his attention.

In a swift motion he picked his wand from the floor, turned and pointed it at the gigantic figure struggling to walk down the partially destroyed stairs, his face shadowed. The giant man made a sound similar to what Sirius had done just moments ago, and when he caught word of what the giant was mumbling, he lowered his wand.

"Hagrid." He said, blinking slowly with a frown on his face.

The man stopped dead in his tracks, his dark eyes shining with the tears he'd been letting out. "Who's there?" he asked wildly, his voice hoarse and trembling.

"It's me, Sirius."

There was a rushing sound as Hagrid walked down the final steps, letting out another cry as he used one big arm to wrap Sirius into a hug. And even though he had been crying before, and the sound of Hagrid's lament did evoke feelings in him, Sirius remained expressionless this time, patting Hagrid on the back slowly before pulling away.

"How did ye fin' out?" asked Hagrid, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Rumours spread like wildfire." said Sirius with a sombre expression. "Why are you here?"

Hagrid stared at Sirius for a while, as if confused by his question. Then, with tears still shining on his black beetle eyes, he said. "I thought you knew." and pulled his right arm forward.

Settled comfortably on his hand was a small bundle wrapped in sheets, a peaceful baby with a tuft of black hair on top of his head. Sirius' eyes widened when he saw his godson, Harry Potter, alive and breathing with a lighting shaped scar on his forehead.

"I didn't…I couldn't believe it. They _said_….but the Dark Lord killed James and Lily, so why did Harry not…" Sirius seemed to have a difficult time gathering his thoughts, unable to find the words to speak. When he heard _it_ had happened, he couldn't believe a baby had managed to survive the Dark Lord, a baby with no magical training. He couldn't believe Harry had survived but James and Lily hadn't. It seemed impossible.

Yet there he was; perfectly sound save for the scar on his forehead. It was the last remaining memory of Lily and James, and he was well.

Sirius pulled his arms forward, as if attempting to pick him up, but Hagrid's arm moved slightly backward and stopping him from doing so. Sirius frowned heavily, looking up at Hagrid.

"Hagrid…give him to me."

"I can't Sirius, Dumbledore's orders. He tol' me t' pick him up an' bring him t' him. I can't Sirius, sorry…"

Sirius heart gave a thump and he lowered his gaze. His eyes found the lifeless body of James Potter laying a few steps behind them and he felt the tears forming once more. His world was shattering.

"He really does look like James, doesn't he? I always said…." He breathed heavily before turning and walking outside the house. Hagrid followed in confusion with Harry still asleep on his hand.

"Where are ye goin'?" asked Hagrid.

"_Nowhere_….How are you getting to Dumbledore?"

Hagrid scratched his head before giving a shrug of his shoulders. "I don' know…I planned t' use the Knight Bus…."

Sirius shook his head. "Where exactly are _you_ going?"

"Li'le Whinging…"

"Take my bike, it's parked around the corner." Sirius said without hesitation before throwing the keys to Hagrid. The sky was now a pale grey, the early rays of sun shining over the rooftops of the houses. "It's not as fast as the bus but it's safer…"

"Sirius, I can't take it…"

"Yes, you can. And you will. I won't need it any more anyway…"

Sirius' eyes focused on the small bundle once more, before he silently turned over and walked away, not giving Hagrid a chance to argue or say another word.

He walked resiliently forward, and once he was at a decent distance from the house, a loud crack announced his disappearance from Godric's Hollow, leaving Hagrid with a bewildered expression on his face. The giant took a look behind at the house and was gone before the townsfolk had gathered around the Potter's house, commenting excitedly the events from last night.

The Dark Lord was gone. Harry Potter had defeated him.

The world was at peace at last.


End file.
